Srinagar, Jul 16 (KNO): Two ISJK militants killed in an encounter at Alamdar Colony, Saidapora, Eidgah, Srinagar, police said Friday.
A police official told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), that acting on a specific lead about the presence of two militants in Saidapora, Eidgah area, police and CRPF teams laid a cordon in the wee hours. “When the joint teams zeroed in on the suspected house, the hiding militants fired at the forces triggering an encounter. The hiding militants were repeatedly asked to surrender, but they turned down the offers and instead fired at the forces,” he said, adding that in the ensuing gunfight, both the militants were killed.
Police said both the slain were locals from Natipora area of Srinagar. The duo were identified as Irfan Ahmed Sofi and Bilal Ahmed, who had joined militancy on December 14, 2020.
Talking to KNO, IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that two slain militants were involved in three incidents that took in June after which "we were tracking the movement of duo.”
“We got a lead about them yesterday after which joint teams of CRPF and police cordoned off Eidgah area in Srinagar. We appealed to them to surrender but they refused after which an encounter took place in which both militants were killed,” he said, adding that as per police list "two slain were affiliated to LeT and had switched to ISJK as per social media reports."
He said in the gunfight, two CRPF men were also injured who were identified as Bupinder Sharma of 21 BN and Unis Ahmed of 73 BN who have been hospitalised and are stable.
The IGP said with today’s operation, 78 militants have been killed this year so far in various encounters. “Of 78 total militants killed, 39 belonged to LeT followed by HM, Al-Badr, JeM and AuGH,” he said.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman said that acting on a specific information generated by Srinagar Police about presence of militants in Alamdar Colony Danmar area of Srinagar, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police and CRPF in the area.
“During the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained they were given repeated opportunities to surrender, however, they fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter in the wee hours,” the spokesman said, adding that “in the ensuing encounter, two militants of proscribed LeT outfit (self claimed TRF) were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Irfan Ahmad Sofi son of Nazir Ahmad Sofi and Bilal Ahmad Bhat son of Manzoor Ahmad Bhat, both residents of Natipora, Srinagar and active since Dec-2020.
It is pertinent to mention that recently self-claimed militant outfit TRF shared on social media that militants Irfan & Bilal had left TRF and joined ISJK.”
He said that as per police records, both the killed militants were part of groups involved in several crimes cases including attacks on Police/SFs and civilian atrocities. “Both the killed militants have been instrumental in motivating and recruiting the youth to join militant folds in Srinagar and its adjoining areas,” the spokesman said. “Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including 01 AK-47 rifle, 01 pistol and 04 grenades were recovered from the site of encounter.”
The police spokesman said that IGP Kashmir congratulated the joint forces of Police and CRPF for the big success that led to the elimination of two most wanted militants who were wanted by the law for their involvement in several terror crime cases—(KNO)